Method of making resonant tag labels

• US 5,902,437 A
• Filed: 02/29/1996
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FLEXcon Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FLEXcon Company Incorporated
• Inventors: McDonough, Neil, Pennace, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAYES, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US08/610,158
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 156/233, 156/234, 156/239, 156/241, 156/289, 340/572, 343/873, 343/895, 427/146, 427/147, 427/152
• US Class Current: 156/234
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2519/02 RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2414 using inductive tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/244 Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2442 Tag materials and material properties thereof, e.g. magnetic material details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0156 Temporary polymeric carrier or foil, e.g. for processing or transferring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/20 by affixing prefabricated conductor pattern H05K1/187, H05K3/046, H05K3/4658, H05K3/4682 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/386 by the use of an organic polymeric bonding layer, e.g. adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4644 by building the multilayer layer by layer, i.e. build-up multilayer circuits making via holes in the insulating layers H05K3/0011; special circuit boards as base or core whereon the multilayer is built H05K3/4602
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4682 Manufacture of core-less build-up multilayer circuits on a temporary carrier or on a metal foil

Abstract

A frangible label which includes a plurality of integrally joined layers deposited successively on a removable carrier film. One or more of the layers are electrically conductive and configured to define an electrical circuit. The label is transferrable from the carrier film onto a receiving surface and is otherwise inseparable from the carrier film without attendant disruption of the circuit. In an alternative embodiments the label includes an adhesive layer for applying the label to a substrate, such that the plurality of integrally joined layers including the electrical circuit are transferrable to the receiving surface and are otherwise inseparable from the carrier film without destruction of the electrical circuit.

Claims

1. A method of labelling a receiving surface with a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a carrier substrate;

(b) forming a frangible composite structure on said carrier substrate, said composite structure having first and second electrically conductive layers at least partially separated by a dielectric layer, said composite structure being at least partially transferable from said carrier substrate onto the receiving surface to form the resonant tag label; and

(c) providing an adhesive arranged to coact with said frangible composite structure for applying at least a portion of said frangible composite structure to the receiving surface, said carrier substrate being separable from at least a portion of said frangible composite structure to provide an operable resonant circuit on said receiving surface, said composite structure being otherwise inseparable from said carrier substrate without attendant disruption of said resonant circuit.

2. A method of producing a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a carrier film;

depositing a first electrically conductive layer on said carrier film;

depositing a dielectric layer on and at least partially covering said first electrically conductive layer;

depositing a second electrically conductive layer on and at least partially covering said dielectric layer to provide a composite label structure, said label structure having oppositely facing sides, with said carrier film being integrally associated with first portions of said label structure and separably associated with second portions of said label structure at one of said sides; and

applying an adhesive to at least a portion of said second electrically conductive layer, said adhesive being arranged to coact with the other side of label structure for applying said label structure to a receiving surface, said carrier film being separable from said second portions of the thus applied label structure with said first portions of said label structure remaining with said carrier film, said second portions defining an operable resonant circuit.

3. A method of producing a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a carrier film;

depositing a first electrically conductive layer on said carrier film;

depositing a dielectric layer on and at least partially covering said first electrically conductive layer;

depositing a second electrically conductive layer on and at least partially covering said dielectric layer to provide a composite label structure, said label structure having oppositely facing sides, with said carrier film being integrally associated with first portions of said label structure and separably associated with second portions of said label structure at one of said sides;

adhering said label structure to a receiving surface; and

separating said second portions of the thus applied label structure from said carrier substrate with said first portions of said label structure remaining with said carrier film, said second portions defining an operable circuit.

4. A method of producing a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a first electrically conductive pattern to a carrier substrate;

(b) applying a first dielectric layer to at least said first electrically conductive pattern;

(c) applying a second electrically conductive pattern to said first dielectric layer, said first and second electrically conductive patterns forming a frequency tuned antenna circuit, said first dielectric layer and said first and second electrically conductive patterns defining a frangible composite structure that is transferable from said carrier substrate onto a receiving surface to form said label structure; and

(d) applying a second dielectric layer to at least said second electrically conductive pattern,

wherein the total thickness of said composite structure is in the range of about 0.025 mils to about 2.2 mils.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said carrier substrate comprises a release material on a surface thereof adjacent said first electrically conductive pattern.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said carrier substrate comprises a breakcoat material on a surface thereof adjacent said first electrically conductive pattern.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said second dielectric layer comprises an adhesive layer being bondable to a substrate and having a peel strength greater than that required to separate said carrier substrate from the said composite structure.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

applying an adhesive layer to said second dielectric layer; and

applying a carrier film to said adhesive layer.

9. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of adhering a third electrically conductive pattern to said second dielectric layer to form said frangible composite structure, said second and third electrically conductive patterns forming a second frequency tuned antenna circuit.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of alternately adhering additional electrically conductive patterns and dielectric coatings, respectively, to said second dielectric layer to form said frangible composite structure in a stacked construction so as to form a plurality of additional frequency tuned antenna circuits.

11. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of repeating said steps (b) through (d) on portions of said first dielectric layer proximate to said first frequency tuned antenna circuit in a planar construction so as to form additional frequency tuned antenna circuits within said frangible composite structure.

12. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of defining a gap in said first dielectric layer so as to allow a direct contact between said first and second electrically conductive patterns.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein said steps of applying said first and second electrically conductive patterns further comprise registered metal deposition of said patterns.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein said steps of applying said first and second electrically conductive patterns further comprise metal deposition and a subsequent demetallization of predetermined portions of deposited metal so as to obtain said patterns.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein said first antenna pattern comprises an electrically conductive plate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said second antenna pattern comprises a tuned frequency antenna.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein said first antenna pattern comprises a pair of electrically conductive plates.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said second antenna pattern comprises a tuned frequency antenna.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said first and second antenna patterns are inductively coupled to one another.

20. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of providing plasma depositions of glass to envelop said first and second electrically conductive patterns.

21. A method of labelling a receiving surface with a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a carrier substrate; and

(b) forming a frangible composite structure on said carrier substrate, said composite structure having first and second electrically conductive layers at least partially separated by a dielectric layer and having a thickness in the range of about 0.025 to 2.2 mils, said composite structure being partially transferable from said carrier substrate onto a receiving surface to form the resonant tag label, wherein said composite structure is integrally associated with first portions of said carrier substrate and separably associated with second portions of said carrier substrate.

22. A method of labelling a receiving surface with a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a carrier substrate; and

(b) forming a frangible composite structure on said carrier substrate, said composite structure having first and second electrically conductive layers at least partially separated by a dielectric layer and having a thickness in the range of about 0.025 to 2.2 mils, said composite structure being at least partially transferable from said carrier substrate onto a receiving surface to form the resonant tag label, wherein said dielectric layer is formed as a deposit to a thickness in the range of about 0.025 to 1.2 mils.

23. A method of labelling a receiving surface with a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a carrier substrate; and

(b) forming a frangible composite structure on said carrier substrate, said composite structure having first and second electrically conductive layers at least partially separated by a dielectric layer and having a thickness in the range of about 0.025 to 2.2 mils, said composite structure being at least partially transferable from said carrier substrate onto a receiving surface to form the resonant tag label, wherein said dielectric layer is a polymeric material.

24. A method of labelling a receiving surface with a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a carrier substrate, and

(b) forming a frangible composite structure on said carrier substrate, said composite structure having first and second electrically conductive layers at least partially separated by a dielectric layer and having a thickness in the range of about 0.025 to 2.2 mils, said composite structure being at least partially transferable from said carrier substrate onto a receiving surface to form the resonant tag label, wherein said dielectric layer is discontinuous.

25. The method of labelling a receiving surface with a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a carrier substrate;

(b) forming a frangible composite structure on said carrier substrate, said composite structure having first and second electrically conductive layers at least partially separated by a dielectric layer and having a thickness in the range of about 0.025 to 2.2 mils, said composite structure being at least partially transferable from said carrier substrate onto a receiving surface to form the resonant tag label; and

(c) separating at least first portions of said composite structure from second portions of said composite substrate.

26. A method of labelling a receiving surface with a resonant tag label, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a carrier substrate;

(b) forming a frangible composite structure on said carrier substrate, said composite structure including a dielectric layer interposed between two electrically conductive layers and having a thickness in the range of about 0.05 to 2.2 mils, said composite structure being at least partially transferable from said carrier substrate onto a receiving surface to form the resonant tag, wherein said dielectric layer is formed as a deposit to a thickness in the range of about 0.05 to 1.2 mils;

(c) adhering said composite structure to the receiving surface; and

(d) separating said carrier substrate from the thus adhered composite structure wherein at least a portion of said composite structure remains with the receiving surface in the form of a resonant tag label.